TT Isle of Man 2002 Review [DVD]

This is an excellent DVD. The video is crystal clear and the audio pumps the exhaust right into your living room. The full lap onboard camera shot with David Jefferies commentary is worth the purchase price alone. There’s 215 minutes of racing coverage. Each of the major classes is covered with ground level, on board, and helicopter shots that give you a feel for why the Isle of Man is considered “The Roadracing Capitol of the World.” This DVD is a must for any motorcycle roadracing fan.

Well presented, decent music, organized format. Kudos to the production team and the organizers of the TT. Now, when it comes to the meat, the racing action, absolutely mindblowing! I started riding motorcycles as a pre-teen, and have loved the machines ever since. Introduced to Isle of Man TT in the eighties by seeing video of an on-board lap of Mike Hailwood and was immediately transfixed.

The demands the TT places on a rider are so much different than (most) closed circuit courses. The bumps, weird elevation changes, winds, crap on the pavement, etceteras. David Jefferies rose to those demands, and here, in my opinion, rides shockingly more imppressively than anything I’ve seen on a motorbike, ever.

Truly a sad thing that the man passed away while riding on this course the next year. But, he chose it so to a large extent, and was doing what he obviously loved soooo much. To anyone well acquainted with performance motorbikes and spirited riding, his love for riding fast is utterly apparent in the way he executes upon the Suzuki.

The debate can rage on about the morality of racing on the Isle, and I’ll grant the detractors some points here and there. Riding the course fast isn’t saving humanity or furthering the direct cause of any mainstream religion. Nothing is perfect and hopefully the course and races will continue to improve in every respect.

Don’t see many trying to stop the Indy 500 and have been many fatalities there, as well. Yes, it is risky, but being born to a starving family on the African continent could certainly be worse when it comes to chances. Since I’d guess most of the race detractors aren’t sending a substantial portion of their funds to help starving or diseased Africans, perhaps they should consider how silly they might look to some when they criticize those that would chance being a competitor in the TT.

To think of all the people that die in senseless wars, petty crimes, people fighting over tennis shoes, and such, it seems a crying shame to taint DJ’s accomplishments by trying to think for the man himself and wishing he had not raced the TT at all. What a disservice to his rightful legacy as a great racer, and definitely one of the most entertaining motorcyclists we have the opportunity to watch on video.

Those who aren’t interested in performance motorcycling may not find much entertainment here. But, I’ll take it over any automobile race. This is the top race in the world, in my book. Is it because people die?

********NO!*******

It is because of the sheer challenge of the course, so many variations with which the mind and body have to deal, and how these riders manage to do it so well. If you could make it impossible for a rider to die at the TT, if you could make it perfectly safe, without changing what’s required to navigate the course, I’d still consider it the top race of those I know about.

I’m not sure, but I bet Giacomo Agostini might agree, and few would be better qualified to comment than he.

The racing is closer in much of the 2004 TT, but take 2002 over 2004 to see DJ!